Background

By Anabel Quan-haase

Abstract

The area of technology use in organizations is vast. Most studies in this area are concerned with developing new technologies or improving existing technologies to increase efficiency and productivity by supporting work processes. Three general areas can be identified (Wellman et al., 1996). The first area investigates tool features and how these facilitate work. This area is primarily concerned with the technical aspects of technologies (Grudin, 1993). Initially, technology use was perceived as having an equalizing and democratizing effect on organizations by providing equal opportunities to all employees. Through new technologies, employees would be able to access a diversity of information sources from their desktops and to communicate with a wide range of experts (Sproull, &amp; Kiesler, 1991). Technologies were developed very generally to speed up the exchange of messages and facilitate work processes. In this perspective, the technical aspects of tools were the central concern of developers and researchers. The underlying assumption was that technology has a unitary effect on all users regardless of the corporate culture and the tasks being performed. Thus, the general improvement of tools would deterministicall